Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dar'a Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dar'a

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $202 in Dar'a.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $394 in Dar'a.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $587 in Dar'a.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 630% more expensive than in Dar'a, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Dar'a is 85% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.03 SYP 368

333.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$14.94 SYP 1,816

258.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$0.99 SYP 120

273.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.78 SYP 94.7

105.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.48 SYP 57.8

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$0.52 SYP 62.6

217.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.29 SYP 34.82

834.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.23 SYP 149

55.28%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.19 SYP 144

117.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$4.05 SYP 492

142.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.19 SYP 387

164.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$6.69 SYP 813

78.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$0.29 SYP 34.63

917.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.17 SYP 142

48.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.63 SYP 76.4

223.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.29 SYP 34.79

610.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.38 SYP 46.40

465.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.26 SYP 31.76

769.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.28 SYP 34.42

396.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.48 SYP 58.9

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.21 SYP 269

90.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.25 SYP 30.24

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.54 SYP 187

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$3.98 SYP 484

32.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.72 SYP 209

-20.93%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.1K MX$330.5K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.6K MX$408.4K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$40.53 MX$701

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.38 MX$474

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$3.45 SYP 419

1413.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$6.15 SYP 747

330.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$3.04 SYP 369

103.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$425 MX$7,355

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$9.99 SYP 1,214

483.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$24.90 SYP 3,025

79.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$16.94 SYP 2,058

541.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$49.14 SYP 5,971

1963.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$35.42 SYP 4,304

1658.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$199 SYP 24.1K

966.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$126 SYP 15.3K

869.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Dar'a: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $49.14 in Dar'a. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Dar'a for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $87.0 per month, with Dar'a cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mexico City vs Dar'a: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dar'a wins on cost – living expenses run 630% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dar'a the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $302 in Dar'a to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $49.14 in Dar'a. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $202 in Dar'a – a 630% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 238% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $202 in Dar'a versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Dar'a but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Dar'a the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dar'a delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $202 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dar'a hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Dar'a gentler on the wallet – expenses run 630% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.